


Before the Fire

by CallMeTricky



Series: Reunited [2]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Prime, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Are they romantic or just really touchy friends?, Feelings, Friends to Enemies, Ravage channels catdad energy, Slow Burn, Then back to maybe friends, This entire thing ended up really Slow Burn unintentionally, who knows!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:40:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26259565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallMeTricky/pseuds/CallMeTricky
Summary: Before the world burned.
Relationships: Cosmos & Soundwave, Cosmos/Soundwave
Series: Reunited [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1894021
Comments: 18
Kudos: 58





	1. The Start

It all started in Kaon, nearly 5 million years ago, with a kind act and a cube of energon. 

* * *

Some aspects of Gladiator culture are never thought of or spoken about. Namely, what do gladiators do when injured in the pits? The answer: veritably hiss at anyone who gets close, refuse to admit their own mortality, and hole up somewhere with a welder to get untrained friends to seal their gaping wounds. That's what Soundwave does, at least. Its dangerous to get help. Another gladiator would be gleeful for the opportunity to 'accidentally' worsen a competitors injury.

In spite of his feelings on the matter, loud protests of his minicons have Soundwave stumbling towards Kaon’s singular free clinic. He only makes it halfway before he collapses. The world fading in and out, he can barely make out the worried voices of his minicons as they eject and struggle to help their heavy deployer up. 

A voice breaches the pain filled haze, “Oh primus! Is he okay?”

Rumble’s helm jerks up, then up and up, to look at the towering frame of a large green space alt. “Yeah, he’s fine Tons-of-Fun! Scram would ya?” 

To prove how ok their deployer is, the twin minicons lift their boss back onto his aft. A mistake. All at once the world spins before Soundwave’s cracked screen. The world blurs into color as he pitches backwards. The gladiator braces himself, expecting the harsh crack of durasteel against his helm, but a warm hand breaks his fall. The space alt, now leaning over him, supports Soundwave as he skims over the mech’s frame. 

“He needs welds,” The stranger supplies, an obvious fact to the five minicons around them, “I don’t think he’s gonna make it to the clinic at the rate he’s leaking energon.” Why does the stranger sound so … genuine? So sincerely concerned for Soundwave’s welfare. “If you can get him to my place, I'll give him some base welds and maybe a cube of energon to tide him over. Just until he can get to a proper medic.” 

“Why the frag should we trust you?” Frenzy glares, “Just ‘cus you’re being a ‘good civilian’ or some slag?”

“That,” Cosmos helps Soundwave to his feet with gentle nudges, “And you don’t really have a choice right now.”

Ravage hates to admit it, and sounds it, but he agrees with the assessment, “He’s right, Soundwave won’t make it another mile. You mess him up, though,” Ravage growls, “We mess you up.”

“Mutual violence, got it!” Cosmos shuffles Soundwave into his dinky first floor apartment, leaving him lying on a suspiciously soft berth. What Soundwave wouldn’t give to have one just like this. Then the hands are on his frame again, infinitely gentle the heat of a welder brushes along the ragged edges of a wound on his chassis.

Cosmos takes extraordinary care to be considerate with the injured mech. While the spacer lacks enough experience with the city culture to know the gladiators, the injuries of the Pit are hard to mistake for anything else. That level of shear and dents can only be from combat. Unless the mech is starting bar fights with swords? Definitely a fighter. Why he’s in the back alleys taking the longest route to the Clinic? Cosmos doubts he’ll ever know. 

Soon enough, the injuries are repaired as best Cosmos can manage. The gathered minicons protectively sweep in the second he steps away.

“I think that’s as good as I’ll get it. Let me grab a cube for when he wakes up.” Cosmos feels the optics locked to his frame when he crosses the room to his personal dispenser. The cat-like minicon suddenly being _right there_ nearly gives Cosmos a spark attack. 

“Why are you doing all this?” Ravage asks, suspicion blatant.

Cosmos thinks about it for a good minute, watching quietly as the cube tops up with green tinted energon. “Because no one should be dying in a filthy alley just because mechs are too selfish to help.”

When Soundwave later gains consciousness, his first sight is a mass of green plating sitting prone beside him. The sight of his minicons scattered about the room is all that choked down his instinct to lash out at the sleeping stranger. A quick scan runs over the them: Twins thoroughly distracted by a datapad, laserbeak and buzzsaw standing vigil at the window, Ravage… where's Ravage?

Sitting up with difficulty, Soundwave searches the small apartment before he finally spots the black minicon. Ravage observes his deployer back from where he perches on the green mech’s shoulder. The fact Ravage of all mechs has grown comfortable enough to use the stranger as a seat speaks volumes of his certainty the mech lacks hostile intentions towards them. Soundwave always trusts Ravage’s judgement and allows himself to relax back onto the berth. A bright cube of energon on the nightstand catches his attention.

“That’s for you apparently.” Ravage quietly informs him. Ah. They're being considerate towards their recharging host. “I already tested it, it's the real deal. Flight grade fuel.” 

In a spacer-sized jumbo cube too. This quantity of high output energon could keep Soundwave and his cassettes fueled for days. Maybe weeks if used sparingly. The mech is that willing to just give it away? Without any obvious strings attached? Strange is definitely the right word for the mech. Any other time Soundwave wouldn’t take the offering, refusing to put himself into debt, but the pangs of hunger drive him forward. 

It's as he takes his first careful sip that Ravage wakes their rescuer with a harsh scrape of claws against his round shoulder. Cosmos jolts up, squeaking in surprise at the sudden pain.

“What- who- why would you do tha-” His visor resets as the stranger notices Soundwave’s own consciousness, “Oh! You’re awake, great! I was worried.”

“Query: Why?” Soundwave doesn’t beat around the beryllium bush. 

“What?”

“Query:” Soundwave demands a bit firmer, “Why?”

Cosmos gapes, dumbfounded, “... Why wouldn’t I?”

The two stare each other down, both unperturbed by the other’s unease. If anything, the mech grows more concerned for Soundwave as the seconds drag by. Curious. Soundwave breaks the tension by leaning back to sip again at the cube. 

“I’m Cosmos, by the way.”

Soundwave will never be able to tell why he did it. It’s so unlike him but maybe the situation is so wild it throws the gladiator off his usual sense. He replies, “Designation: Soundwave.”

The spacer’s face, or lack of one, lights up like Cybertron’s sun and Soundwave knows he’s doomed.


	2. Megatronus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soundwave introduces two mechs.

Soundwave is on his way to visit Cosmos again when he stops a block away from the spacer’s apartment. Sensors on alert, he lingers in the center of the road, forcing others to go around the stalled mech. Finally he speaks, “Request: Stop following Soundwave, Megatronus.”

A large frame slinks from the shadows. Laughing, Megatronus admits, “Always could tell when I’m watching! Can you blame me? You wander off whenever fueling time comes yet you’re stronger than ever. Excuse me for wanting to know what your secret is!” 

Regardless of the smirk, Soundwave can hear the hurt in the gladiator’s voice. While they may be forced at each other’s throats in the pits, they’ve been all the other’s had for longer than either can remember. The one source of comfort in an endless struggle. It only now strikes Soundwave how his secrets may have bruised his friend’s pride. He should tell him.

But would it be right to? Would it be right to drag Cosmos further into the violence of his life? Paralyzed by conflict, Ravage makes the choice for him. The panther deploys from his spot at Soundwave’s hips and climbs up the larger gladiator. Settled in the crook of Megatronus’ neck, the cat motions for Soundwave to continue on. A nod. Soundwave turns on heel and leads his friend the rest of the way to Cosmos’ apartment. It's locked, obviously, but such a weak security measure is nothing to a mech like Soundwave. 

Within seconds of a tendril attaching itself, the door slides open and Soundwave steps inside. Cosmos isn’t due back from work for several more hours so the apartment sits devoid of life aside from several holo pics on the table.

Megatronus is suitably confused. “Did you get an apartment? Soundwave how did you- You haven’t been letting rich mechs use you as a-” Soundwave stops him before he can continue that thought.

“You’ll see. Just wait.” Ravage mysteriously informs the gladiator. 

Those several hours are spent in relative silence. Megatronus wanders the space, examining the sparse decorations and locked dispenser. He studies a holo-pic, examining the blurry frames of space alts that smile and laugh in the foreground. A happy team of explorers. Eventually through surveying the sparse area, he settles next to Soundwave. 

It's a relief when the door dings as someone accesses it from the other side. Except that means someone is letting themselves inside. Megatronus stands, sword already sliding from the housing in his wrist. Soundwave signals for him to sit back down. The large form of Cosmos- look at that, he’s even bigger than Megatronus- steps inside. He sees Soundwave and blinks, unbothered by the invader of his home. 

“That explains why the door was unlocked. If I knew you were coming so early I would have-” Cosmos’ attention shifts and Megatronus fills his vision. Cosmos is tense as he turns to Soundwave. His field is awash with confusion and mild fright. What’s going on exactly? Soundwave quickly reassures the mech with a hand to his arm.

“Megatronus: followed Soundwave.” Soundwave motions for the gladiator to step forward, “Megatronus: meet Cosmos.”

Cosmos’ visor lights up in recognition. Of course he recognizes Megatronus, perhaps not in appearance but definitely in name. You can’t throw a spare bolt in Kaon and not hit someone talking about the champion of Kaon in some form. 

While Soundwave calms him, Megatronus breaks down what he can about this mystery mech. Not from the city, that much is obvious. The mechs of Kaon have a certain grit to them. Megatronus can tell within seconds of meeting him how soft the mech is- and not just in frame. There’s a stubborn kindness in what the champion can see of his optics behind that visor. The kind of thing Kaon bashes out of its people early on.

He breaks from his examination of the mech when Ravage sinks claws carefully into his neck cabling. About to yell at the cat, he realizes Cosmos and Soundwave are both staring. The former shifts uncomfortably under the gladiator’s intense look. Disapproval is roiling off Soundwave in near palpable waves. 

He sees how it is. Apparently it's ok when Soundwave is critical about Megatronus’ company, but not the other way around! Megatronus doesn’t reply but does send a smarmy smirk at Soundwave.

“So,” Cosmos claps his hands together, trying to make the best of an awkward situation, “Friends then, I’m assuming?” A sharp nod from Soundwave. “Great, well, I should properly introduce myself then. I guess. I’m Cosmos of Ibex.”

Ding, ding, correct guess for Megatronus. Definitely not from Kaon. How iconic though, a spacer from the city holding Cybertron’s central spaceport. 

“Megatronus of Kaon.” If they’re being polite, Megatronus won’t be the one called rude later. “So tell me, Cosmos. Are you why my dear co-champion has been slipping away from the colloseum at every given opportunity?”

Soundwave is glaring at Megatronus but if Cosmos can see it, he doesn’t address it. “We met a little while back and he’s been keeping me company when I get off work ever since." There's more to that story. Megatronus can tell. Not the right moment to push for full details, however. "It's nice to have someone to talk to during fuelings, especially when you don’t really know anyone in the city. I just kind of ended up here by chance.” Cosmos walks across the room, “Speaking of fueling, would you both like a cube?” 

“That’s not necessary, I was already given my ration… today…” Megatronus breaks off into stunned silence when he sees the grade of energon coming from the dispenser.

Cosmos continues like he doesn’t notice, but there is a smirk in his voice, “Soundwave can’t take a whole cube every day since it’s a little too high energy for him but you’re a lot bigger so you can probably take a few and keep going! I’m limited to two a day, though, so won’t be able to help more than that.”

Megatronus stares. This mech just said he only gets two cubes a day- two cubes his massive frame clearly needs- but he was handing both gladiators his entire day's rations. Soundwave catches on as well, shoving his own offering back to the spacer. 

“Soundwave: still has enough energy from yesterday.”

“Then take it for the future.” Cosmos gently pushes it back, “The great thing about being an exploration class shuttle is I have solar panels. I can supplement my energy reserves on my own. Since I do nothing but hover around in the sun all day, too, I pretty much have a full course buffet all shift.”

Megatronus squints, “Then why did you accept the contracted rations?”

Cosmos scoffs like its the dumbest question he’s heard, “You don’t just turn down free cubes of flight grade! Especially when it's being paid for by high class afts.”

Ok, Megatronus could grow to like this mech. He’s got more fire in him than the gladiator originally guessed. Soundwave still looks conflicted. 

With a short nod, Soundwave turns away to slide his mask up. He drains half the cube in one swift movement then turns back, mask replaced. With that done, he slips the last of the cube back into Cosmos’ hand. 

“Soundwave: fueled. Cosmos: Can finish it.” 

Hm. Interesting. Megatronus watches as a silent battle goes on between the two mechs. Soundwave claims quiet victory when Cosmos sighs and fishes out a straw to drain cubes final contents in one long draw. As far as Megatronus knows, Soundwave has never cared enough to be that generous towards anyone other than his minicons. He's only ever offered Megatronus some of his own rations twice in nearly a million years. Very interesting. 

The rest of the night goes by with Megatronus spending most of his time watching the two. Cosmos, despite his initial tentative introductions, chats a mile a minute once given enough lead to let loose. It ranges from work, to pastimes, and everything in between. A million years’ worth of repressed thoughts. Soundwave listens, silently nodding or shaking his helm at the appropriate times. There’s even one or two graphics thrown up on his face screen to give better reactions. 

In short, Megatronus doesn’t think he’s ever seen Soundwave have such an animated discussion.


	3. Days Gone By

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time passes in the blink of an eye, and before you know it countless days have gone by.

“And I tell them not to do it!” Cosmos splays his hands in defeat, “But they keep doing it over and over again! I swear to Primus these mechs are trying to bring down Kaon’s entire communication network.”

Soundwave nods. Cosmos has been ranting and raving since the moment he walked through the door of his apartment. Soundwave, already there, roused himself just enough to listen to his friend’s rambling. His helm drifts down. He lies content with Cosmos’ voice surrounding him.

“Maybe I should just let them one of these times. Sure would be fantastic to see them get a kick in the aft for it! I could-” Cosmos cuts off. Soundwave peers up. The spacer stands there uncertain. His hands wring and shift as he watches the gladiator. “I’m boring you, aren’t I? You shouldn’t have to listen to me complain. Not after all you go through at the pits.”

Soundwave frowns behind his screen. He doesn’t like that look. The look of pain and dejection on his amica’s face. It’s something that should never grace Cosmos’ features. Thoroughly awake by the green mech’s distress, Soundwave straightens. A hand motions for Cosmos to continue.

He prompts Cosmos to speak even further by commenting, “Cosmos: could restructure the networks instead. Automation. Make their jobs-”

“Foolproof!” Cosmos finishes, optics blowing wide and his frame perking.

Soundwave was going to say obsolete. Foolproof works too. He settles back against the wall as Cosmos’ excitement grows and he begins to brainstorm about all the different approaches he could take. Good. This is how Soundwave likes it to be. 

Cosmos should be happy, his opinions always hold merit.

* * *

The crowds cheer and wave as Soundwave exits the Arena. The door rolls shut behind him, plunging the hall into darkness. All sound is snuffed. The cheers, the glee, the adoration- all die like they never existed at all. The second he leaves this colosseum the jeers and hate will begin anew. 

It’s grown worse since they started speaking out. Mechs grow colder as Megatronus takes a stand against the hate. While always tense, Soundwave had never been wary about leaving the place of their enslavement. Now he fears the world outside. Mechs that stopped at sneering have been angered by the disrespect towards their status. They’re more outspoken in their hatred. Each is eager to flex position and power at every opportunity. The world has to be reminded of where they stand. He’s confident it’s the weight of Megatronus at his side that keeps Soundwave safe from physical violence.

They have to do something. Soon before-

A large hand envelops his shoulder. Green fills his vision. 

“You ok, Soundwave?”

Soundwave watches Cosmos’ obscured optics flicker behind his visor. Waves of calm wash away Soundwave’s worries the longer he stands in the spacer’s presence. It’s always like this around his amica. There’s something infinitely reassuring about Cosmos’ solid presence. The one unchanging thing in his life. A universal constant in Soundwave’s chaotic days. 

Frame sagging, Soundwave lets himself collapse forward into the plating of Cosmos’ waist. He vents hard against the green surface, listening to the distant thrum of his amica’s steady spark. 

Megatronus comes up behind the duo, slapping a hand on Soundwave’s shoulder. He laughs, “Great job in that battle, Soundwave! Beautifully cruel to let them think they could actually win!” He laughs harder when Soundwave shakes off the contact but gives no attempt to extract himself from Cosmos’ loose embrace.

* * *

Megatronus stares at the reports presented to him by Soundwave. 

“It looks like we should do the next speech in the square at-”

“Don’t do it in the square.”

All optics turn to the doorway, where Cosmos stands.

Megatronus raises an eyebrow, “And why, pray tell, should we not do it in the square?”

The judgmental optics raze through Cosmos’ confidence. He wavers in the doorway.

“Um- well-” Cosmos twitches.

“Cosmos,” Soundwave speaks up from Megatronus’ side, “Can speak freely here. Please: state opinion.”

Starscream mutters, “Of course you’d say that.” but he goes ignored.

Cosmos takes a deep invent and explains, “I see a lot of traffic patterns while I’m up in the air. The square gets a lot of mechs passing through but not the kind you want to appeal to. It’s also heavily patrolled by enforcers so you’ll probably be stopped before you can say too much.” He steps up to the holographic map before them. A short scan and his larger finger jabs at a new spot. “Here. It’s not as heavily populated but enforcers don’t bother going down there and its nothing but low class laborers. The exact audience you want.”

Plans are looked at again. Adjustments are made. Cosmos is forgotten once his input is taken.

Sagging, Cosmos backs away to leave. A hand on his forearm stops him. Soundwave, screen still focused on the table, tugs the spacer back to his side.

* * *

Cosmos watches from the crowd as Megatronus speaks. They stand enraptured by every word, by every promise of reform and equality. Soundwave remains next to Megatronus, a silent guardian to his visionary friend and, now, leader. 

A cold knot twists in Cosmos’ tanks. Something about the tone and promises makes the spacer uneasy. If it was coming from that clerk who started to hang around it may have been different. But here, with Gladiators famous for violence and extreme reactions? He trusts Soundwave with his life, Megatronus too by now, but it still doesn’t sit right. The gladiator turned spymaster meets Cosmos’ visor over the helms of the crowd. Soundwave can tell how his amica feels. Cosmos knows he can. It's obvious from the sharp disgust he has as he turns away from the spacer. 

He spoke his mind in the beginning, when Megatron and Soundwave appreciated a more middle mech’s perspective, but lately he’s been getting ignored. His advice has been unappreciated and unheeded. Soundwave actually got annoyed the last time he tried to nudge them in another direction. The spymaster accused him of being soft when he tried to suggest a more passive route to their goal. One that wouldn’t end in violence or crime. Of course violence was always part of life in Kaon, but never this outright about it outside the colosseum. Violence amongst gladiators was generally kept in the ring and rarely did they bother to attack civilians. 

It’s all changing. Cosmos can see the indignity and rage boiling beneath the surface of every mech listening in the crowd. Megatronus riles them. He prods at open wounds and encourages them to make others suffer as they have. He’s viciously kicking a scraplet nest. 

With tensions so high, someone innocent is going to be caught in the crossfire. It’s likely they already have. How can Soundwave be so ok with all of this?

* * *

Cosmos stands in shock as he watches the news reports. Megatron stood before the council and was denied. The clerk- Orion Pax- instead stepped forward to move the council. Not only moved the council, but was declared the next de factor Prime! He’d shifted their perspective and changed their minds! Now they can move towards reform and uniting the planet under equality. So why is Megatron stalking back and forth in his apartment, ready to strike at a second’s notice like a feral turbohound? Soundwave lurks by the wall in chilly silence. 

Cosmos, fighting to keep the tremble out of his voice, dares to ask, “I-isn’t this what you were working for? The council’s started to-”

Megatron reels around. He snarls straight into Cosmos’ faceplates as talons sink into the spacer’s shoulder with a crushing grip. Something cracks beneath the surface plating. “This isn’t what we were working for you fool! The council will change nothing! They don’t listen to peaceful acts, they _never_ have!” His optics burn red with rage, so different from their former kind blue, “How dare you even begin to think this is over!”

Cosmos looks desperately to Soundwave for help. Any sort of rescue! The deployer doesn’t move. Hot betrayal flushes through Cosmos’ lines and its Ravage who comes to the spacer’s rescue. 

“So,” The cat stalks into Megatron’s line of vision, “What’s our next move, then?”

Megatron shoves Cosmos away, forgetting him to start talking strategy. Like he never existed in the first place. Soundwave’s entire focus is on his raging friend… his new master. Cosmos slips unnoticed from the room, energon trailing down his arm from the ragged gashes Megatron left in his plating. Laserbeak follows after him but the rest stay put. No need to risk Megatron refocusing on the mech who may very well be becoming his new favorite victim. 

Cosmos sits on the edge of his building. Laserbeak hovers around his injured shoulder with sympathetic trills. He doesn’t speak minicon binary, but Cosmos gets the idea well enough. “I’ll be ok. Don’t worry.” He huffs, “Just wish Soundwave would remember he’s got two amicas.”

Their takeover of his apartment has left him a lot of time to think. A solid idea has formed in his processor. Leave Kaon and go help Orion Pax convince the Council to truly change. See if he can do some good outside of Megatron’s violent intentions. There’s dozens of ways he can leave. Dozens of ways he could even escape the city if needed. Yet, one factor keeps him rooted to Kaon. One thing he can’t bring himself to let go of.

Soundwave. No matter what happens, Cosmos can’t bring himself to betray his amica. The one mech who stood with him in the crowds. The mech who would keep him company for hours at a time. The mech who looked at Cosmos and saw someone worth listening to. Even now, while discontent licks at Cosmos’ mind, he can’t bring himself to consider abandoning the mech who stole his spark. 

Said mech flies up to land behind the heavy minded spacer. Cosmos refuses to turn as Soundwave steps up behind him. He waits for an apology. Sympathy. Anything, really. 

Instead he gets, “Cosmos: Will help Megatron relay messages to his followers through encrypted channels.”

Cosmos viciously fights back the lump in his throat as he looks to his amica, “What? Soundwave I can’t do that. If they figure out what I’m doing-”

“Cosmos.” Soundwave interrupts, leaning forward to look his friend in the face, “Help and private communication imperative. Could turn the entire tide of Decepticon movement. Please. Cosmos: Will not be caught.”

He hates that name. It's supposed to be based on Megatron’s tagline of ‘You are being deceived’ but it just makes his followers sound like liars. No one in their right mind trusts a faction with deception in the name! Did anyone listen to him besides Soundwave? No! Just go back into the sky, flying camera.

His thoughts grind to a halt as Soundwave leans down. Pressing his forehead to Cosmos’, he whispers, “Please. Action: Necessary. Cosmos: Needed by Soundwave.”

Cosmos also hates how he folds to Soundwave’s demand.

* * *

Soundwave lied to him. Cosmos sits with helm in his hands on the street. What is he going to do? 

Now jobless and holding a strike against his record as a communications officer, he sits on the corner with what’s left of his possessions. He wants to lie down, cry for a week, and mourn any chance he may have had of moving up in the world. It’s Kaon, though, and to do that would be suicide- socially and likely literally. A hand brushes his shoulder. Cosmos flinches. Soundwave jerks back.

Cosmos looks up at the mech then turns away as hot tears of bleeding light threaten to break through. “I hope your allies got their fragging messages.” He spits out. 

Soundwave doesn’t shrink back like Cosmos wishes he would. No outward signs of remorse or sadness leak through the spymaster’s composure. He stands there and stares. Like always. It’s only once Cosmos feels ready to snap at him that he finally sits down .

“Soundwave: Sorry for the difficulty caused.” Soundwave says the words but Cosmos can’t tell if they’re genuine. That strikes Cosmos like a slap to the face. He can’t tell how Soundwave feels anymore. They’ve spent so little time together as of late that Cosmos can’t figure out when he’s being sincere or not. The mech he spent so much time with, who he practically lived with, who he promised a piece of his spark to...He’s becoming more stranger than friend. Cosmos has been stranded in isolation longer than he’d been in centuries. The tears threaten his optics again. 

“Why are you apologizing?” Cosmos snaps, shoving down the deep rooted sadness with anger, “Do you want to ruin my life with another favor?” That gets Soundwave to wince. Cosmos’ anger grows when he doesn’t feel good about it. “Just leave me the frag alone Soundwave. Go get someone else fired.”

Soundwave remains behind the spacer but stays silent. Neither gathers the will to speak for a long time. They sit until sunlight fades and dilapidated street lamps grimly illuminate the city. Soundwave runs a hand over the box between them.

“Cosmos: Kicked out of apartment already?” He asks.

Cosmos nods, all his anger drained and now replaced by a strut deep exhaustion, “My apartment was owned by the communications hub. When I got fired, I got evicted.” Soundwave tenses. Of course he’s only now realizing the full extent of what he asked Cosmos to do. _Too little, too late,_ Cosmos thinks with bitter resentment.

Soundwave rises to his feet. A tendril snares Cosmos’ arm and drags him up, the now ex-communications officer protesting the entire way. He snags the box before its owner can pick it up. “Cosmos: will stay with Soundwave at the colosseum.”

“What?” Cosmos flounders, “I can’t do that, can I? Isn’t that gladiators only? Not to mention, I’d be staying with-” He leaves ‘with Megatron’ unsaid. He’s not sure it's a good idea to be around the Decepticon leader. Not after the last time they were in the same room together. The champion’s been getting rather unhappy with Cosmos’ unwillingness to fold to their ridiculous growing demands. The requests get even worse when he considers Soundwave may be filtering out the worst of them.

“Cosmos.” Soundwave claims Cosmos’ attention, using that same tendril to pull Cosmos down and to rest their foreheads together. “Soundwave: will make sure everything is ok.” 

Cosmos believes him. As bad as things may get, Soundwave will always be there.

* * *

Cosmos is cornered. Two Decepticons, brand new symbols displayed proudly on their chests, push him to speak. Not even half Cosmos’ size, it would be funny if the situation wasn’t so tense.

“Say something, space case!” One demands.

The other heckles him again, “Yeah, tell us why Megatron keeps a glorified radio around! You don’t do slag around here! While the rest of us are out there in battle you just- ARGHHH!” 

Electricity courses through the mech’s frame and he drops like a sack of bolts. Eyes blowing wide, the other spins around to confront whoever just attacked his squad mate. His face reflects back at him from Soundwave’s screen. 

Megatron’s voice growls out of Soundwave’s speakers, “I will not tolerate disobedience within my ranks!”

“Y-yes Soundwave! Sir! Soundwave sir! I’ll just be,” The decepticon flattens himself to the wall to edge around the TIC, “Won’t happen again!” He flees in a flash of scrambling limbs. Doesn’t even bother to try and retrieve his unconscious friend. 

The sudden silence is suffocating. It’s not the first time something like this has happened but it’s the first Soundwave truly caught wind of it. Movement on Soundwave’s hip explains it. Ravage settles himself, content to lock in on his deployer now that the job of snitching on his faction mates is done. Soundwave steps over his unconscious victim and patiently waits.

Cosmos gives in, “Ok, the voices thing isn’t as stupid as I might have said it was.” Soundwave stands a hair straighter. Cosmos spots a self satisfied glint behind the screen. He huffs, “Thanks for the save.”

Graphs and documents rapidly flash across Soundwave’s screen. Blurred colors continue for several seconds until they all stop at once. He grabs Cosmos’ arm in a tendril and leads him away, “Cosmos: now freed from duties for rest of evening. Can join Soundwave in our habsuite.”

The spacer gawks, “Soundwave you can’t just change the entire schedule and stick some poor mech with my-“

“Cosmos’ Shift: Now Starscream’s.”

The worry evaporates, “Oh.” Cosmos mutters. Mischief takes guilt’s place, “Well that’s different.” As an afterthought he adds, “But be sure to tell him the shifts have changed.

Soundwave’s shoulders sag. Caught.

Cosmos scoffs. His tone is stern when he tells Soundwave, “I know you don’t like him but setting him up for punishment is just nasty, Soundwave.”

Soundwave begrudgingly sends Starscream a notice. Slag Cosmos and his morals always ruining the spymaster’s fun. Then again, would he love the spacer so much without them?

* * *

The protests turned to riots. The riots progressed to war. Cosmos stood aside and let them march to war with another faction. Another faction who strived towards the same goal, but disagreed on the execution. The dumbest slag Cosmos had ever seen. The guilt over not stopping it, not speaking his concerns louder, is eating him alive. 

The regret almost came out of his systems as a purge when the assault on Harmonex was declared. 

Now he stands behind Soundwave with Laserbeak and Buzzsaw perched on his shoulders as the spymaster paces. A case full of bombs sits heavily in Cosmos’ grip. The tension grows as Cosmos speaks, “Soundwave, this has to stop. I don’t care what ‘tactical significance’ it might have, I won’t do it! I won’t kill innocent people just to prove we can! Optimus Prime-” He cringes at the sharp look Soundwave sends him but powers on, “Wanted the same sort of reforms as Megatron. We can still bring an end to!”

“War: won’t continue after this assault.” Soundwave declares, coming to a stop in front of him, “Autobots: will surrender with the next move.”

Cosmos’ spark sinks into his tanks at the ominous statement. “Soundwave please. If anyone can convince Megatron to drop this assault, it’s you.” Cosmos raises his hand out towards the stoic mech, “I’m not asking you as a Decepticon. I’m begging as your Amica Endura. Stop this.” 

Cosmos steps forward. Leaning down, he draws close to press his forehead to Soundwave’s crest for one final imploring action. The spymaster jerks away from the motion and Cosmos is left cold at the denial.

He turns his back to the spacer and continues like his amica’s pleas were nothing but a casual annoyance. Cosmos takes that as answer enough and storms out, leaving the third in command to stew in his own blind hatred. It doesn’t matter anymore. Cosmos has enemies to warn.

* * *

“Cosmos, stop being an idiot!” Ravage hisses, “Trypticon is on his way! Harmonex is dead, just accept it!” The cat stalks back and forth as a bombing trine soars overhead. How the minicon found him in the midst of fire and panic, Cosmos will never know.

Shoving the remains of the building’s doorway aside, Cosmos braces the exist with his own frame as newly freed civilians sprint from their near tomb. His warnings didn’t make it in time. So Cosmos left to try and change fate himself. Harmonex collapses and Cosmos stubbornly stands amidst the chaos. 

He ignores the beastial mech and continues to evacuate innocents. He’s helping an actor to his feet when the explosives come down on their helms. The last thing Cosmos remembers is the building crumbling. In what he thinks is a final moment of morbid calm, he delivers a vicious kick to the cat still pacing at his feet. Ravage sails to safety. The world comes down with the unholy shriek of shearing metal and falling stone.

* * *

Soundwave stares at what used to be a building. Now a grave. He’s numb to the destruction unfolding around them. The spymaster barely registers Ravage clawing at the rubble. The normally calm mech demands Soundwave help get ‘That idiot Cosmos’ out before Trypticon makes his grand appearance. 

It’s too late. Soundwave knows it's too late. Trypticon is mere minutes away and the entire city will be ash when titan is done. He stumbles forward, silencing Ravage with a shaking hand to his helm. 

Their last conversation was a fight. How often had they been fighting the past centuries? How often had Soundwave dismissed his friend? No. Cosmos was more than his friend. A practical piece of his spark. 

Cosmos had never been loyal to the cause, only to Soundwave. It’d been something Soundwave had seen through bitter optics since the beginning. His loyalty should have belonged to the cause. Not to Soundwave. 

It’s only now that what he’s lost truly slaps Soundwave across the faceplates. Throughout all the years, all the dismissals and abuse, Cosmos remained by his side. He stayed a solid wall of reassurance and comfort against the disastrous world raging outside their habsuite. How did Soundwave repay that loyalty? Cruelty and abandonment. The realization only comes when he can no longer make it right. 

Megatron screams in his comm for Soundwave to return, to come back and help lead the attack. He takes one last look at his friend’s resting place. He will win the war. He will win the war so Cosmos’ sacrifice doesn’t go to waste. 

Soundwave takes Ravage and flees as Trypticon blasts through the district.

* * *

“I think… someone… help!”

Voices. 

Strange voices. Loud voices. They need to go away. He can’t sleep so long as they keep screaming. The debris shifts and suddenly a beam of light strikes him directly in the exposed optic. A silhouette blocks out the blinding sun and Cosmos gets an optic full of the autobrand’s red frown.

“Hey buddy, it’s ok! We got you. You’ll be ok but you gotta stay still for now, you’re really messed up.” The green- heh, another greenie, ah sweet delirium- mech above moves back. Cosmos quickly speaks through his sparking vocalizer.

“How-” He forces his voice to reset, grind out the words as his savior pauses, “How long since…”

“Three days. Which is why we gotta get you out now! Ratchet, I-” 

He leaves and the beaten spacer forces himself to think. He’s alive but buried. The Autobots are digging him up days later. There’s no Decepticons to be seen if their ease is anything to go by. For the first time since this all began, Cosmos lets himself cry.

He’s been abandoned. 

That’s the moment Cosmos leaves a cause he never truly pledged loyalty towards. He joins the Autobots. The side unwilling to bomb an entire city of innocent mecha to make a point. And the side unwilling to leave anyone behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was meant to be some insight into their relationship and what lead to Cosmos joining the enemy. It also went through like five different rewrites and I may still edit it. RIP.  
> I'm sure the next chapter will go through even more.


	4. Together Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bitter reunion.

The wreckers are almost to the command center. Not even a full breem ago, the Autobot death squad began a forward assault. Soundwave has to admit they move with deadly efficiency. In minutes they cleared their way past the first levels, brutally murdering every vehicon that dared try and stop the raging psychopaths. 

One of those very soldiers yells through the comms, “Commander, one of the Wreckers managed to break past us! He could be up there any second!”

Soundwave straightens as the deep thrum of a charging blaster echoes behind him. ‘Any second’ appears to be now. He’ll just have to deal with them himself and- Soundwave goes still at the familiar voice. 

“Step away from the console.” 

Every drop of fuel in his frame runs cold. Sluggish with shock, Soundwave turns. He’s staring at a ghost. 

The deployers littering his frame go wild, their own shock loud across the bond. Cosmos is alive. He’s alive and looks good. Better than he’d looked in the centuries before his death. Supposed death. How did he survive!? Nothing could have survived Trypticon’s assault!

Cosmos’ proves him wrong as he raises his blaster a little higher. The shift reveals an Autobrand stamped across the Spacer’s collar faring. The sight of that mark, the symbol of the enemy, branding his dear friend a true traitor is enough to send strut chilling anger coursing down Soundwave’s fuel lines. 

How dare the Autobots think of touching Cosmos. How dare they take advantage of the mech’s insecurity to manipulate him-- his need to be recognized, to be noticed. Soundwave’s finger’s scrape across the console as his fist clenches. How dare they push Cosmos to violence. His sweet caring amica would never raise a gun to him. They’ve brainwashed the spacer. They’ve brainwashed him and Soundwave will make them pay!

Before he can think, Soundwave lunges forward with the intent of ripping that stupid brand off Cosmos’ chest. The spacer stumbles backwards but soon regains his footing. He truly shocks Soundwave in an action so out of character it sends the gladiator into a logic loop. Pulling back a fist, Cosmos punches him. Punches him so hard the spymaster goes flying. 

Crashing back into the very console he left, Soundwave is left reeling as electricity streaks over his plating. A hand rises to his face screen and comes away with a loose shard of glass. He looks back up to stare at Cosmos without the barrier of tinted glass. With all their time being amica, Soundwave had forgotten a critical factor: Cosmos is nearly triple his size.

“Surrender, Soundwave.” Cosmos stands straighter.

Soundwave is slow to get up. Blades from his gladiator days slide from his subspace and into his shaking grip. They stare at each other through a single moment of unnerving stillness. Soundwave’s anger cools, his hands still as colosseum instincts flood his processor.

If that’s how it has to be, then so be it. They both lunge. 

Cosmos fires his blasters, sending hot bolts of plasma skimming past Soundwave. The mech is too fast for the clumsy space alt. He always has been. Soundwave slides on double jointed knees through the mech’s spread legs, swinging the blades to sever critical struts in his ankles. The metal gives beneath his strike with a sickening crack and Cosmos collapses to one knee. The cabling on Cosmos’ back is next. Soundwave flips the blade and rushes forward.

Hot flames sear and crack his faceplate as space grade thrusters power on full force. Screaming static in pain, the spymaster careens backwards. Globs of broken, and now molten, glass pour down his exposed face and chassis. Laserbeak rapidly disconnects to avoid the viscous spray, fleeing to the rafters above. 

His helm snaps back as a fist drives straight into his now exposed features. Cosmos, now holding the advantage, begins a vicious assault on his amica. Blow after blow connects with the thinner mech’s plating. Each punch leaves the Spymaster reeling as his inner components rattle. 

Now the one on the floor, Cosmos straddles his frame with hand raised to deliver a final brutal attack. He hesitates. Soundwave doesn’t. 

Cosmos howls as thousands of volts course through his frame by way of Soundwave’s tendrils. Soundwave pushes his tendrils harder into the mech’s shred plating, drilling agony straight to his neural net. As the spacer convulses, Soundwave remains deaf to the screams that reverberate through the halls. Curling back on the floor and near blind from pain, Cosmos can’t dream to block one of Soundwave’s blades as it slashes straight down his chassis with enough force to scrape spark chamber plating. The second razes his face, shattering his visor and destroying one of the optics beneath. Energon splatters in gorey smears across the wall and ceiling. 

Their now bared optics lock as the gladiator looms over the prone spacer. Soundwave stares into Cosmos’ one remaining eye as his arm raises high. Cosmos shrinks down and looks away, tense and plating shaking from aftershocks as he waits for the coming blow. 

Soundwave doesn’t move. He stands frozen in the midst of caustic fear roiling off the spacer. Every strut in his frame screams ‘wrong’ as his processor calms enough to override anger driven gladiatorial instinct. Cosmos had never been afraid of him before. Throughout all their arguments and fights, Cosmos had never once feared for his safety around the spymaster. Even standing opposite the room, weapons drawn, he held no fear. When did it all change?

_When you ripped into him like Ravage with a common petrorat. When he finally saw the real you._

The blades clatter to the floor, Soundwave’s arm falling limp. Cosmos looks up in stunned silence. For the first time in years, they actually _see_ each other. Where Soundwave expected anger and hatred, there’s only sadness. Sadness and a grief that rocks the Spymaster’s core. 

Reality hits Soundwave then. Cosmos didn’t abandon Soundwave, Soundwave abandoned Cosmos. They were the ones who took advantage of the spacer. They were the ones who only noticed him when it was convenient, robbed him of his due recognition. The ones who threw him away at a moment’s notice.

Both flinch as the door beyond them buckles. The wreckers, finally catching up with their largest member, work to force their way in. 

“Soundwave:-” Soundwave hesitates. A fist clenches and Soundwave turns away from Cosmos. Unnatural calm is forced through his frame. Sweeping past the downed wrecker, he yanks a chip from the console’s remains. The door crashes inwards. Soundwave jumps out the window, intel in hand. 

It’s as he transforms and flashes past the tower’s spire that he gets one final look at Cosmos- beaten and battered but fixated entirely on the spymaster’s disappearing form as the other wreckers hurry to his side. 

Hours later, staring without comprehension at the screen before him, Soundwave receives a ping. A simple alert meant to hold quick but significant meaning. An assurance of life. He stalls the second he sees the sender.

A ping from Cosmos. An unspoken question of his health. Even after abandoning him, after all he’d done to deserve hatred, Cosmos still cares. Soundwave sends a short burst of data in response as his spark hardens. 

Soundwave will end the war. He will end the war and make a world where Cosmos never has to fear him again. Even years later, as Cybertron burns and he’s pit against his amica time and again, Soundwave stands strong in his conviction.

Cosmos prays his determination will fail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First multichapter fic? Done! Hope it lived up to any expectations.  
> Next up is going to be the "present day" episodes fic.

**Author's Note:**

> Likely won't have to wait long for the other chapters, I already have them written or mostly written. Just have to edit them.


End file.
